I don't know what is going to happen. But I do know for a fact that we aren't keeping a clean sheet! Ipswich win BTTS is where my money is.
Martins press conference is worth a watch. Talks about the amount of information he has been giving, about fear, about mentality and about patience. Makes no bones about going thru a lot of pain and that it won’t be quick. Told the players they’ll need to strap in and it sounds like we will have to do the same!
9-8 to us, the 9th coming in the 9th min of injury time. Not going tonight - my dog has rallied and is back to being a puppy (I love my vet) but I have a stupid presentation to do at 7pm tonight that I can’t get out of. Don’t think it is wise to do it from my seat via zoom in St Mary’s seeing as the audience is US based Executive Directors lol.
I'm partly glad Downes took a knock, Russell will have to play Charles in DM. He'll then make that spot his own and won't lose it. I love Downes the player but he isn't suited to being a lone 6.
Im sure he will be an extraverted LB & RB when in possession to cover for both KWP and Manning, meaning we have no one in the middle. Again. It's kinda like the manager that would have been born had Ardilles & Keegan had a child together.
The Ipswich podcaster who was on the TSP broadcast mentioned that he saw what Martin did at MK Dons in League One and what he did at Swansea and warned that Martin won’t change, just double down.
I heard the same comment on Radio Solent over the weekend from one of the commentators. As I have said on here before, I think the points we have accumulated so far as something of a bonus. Martin has inherited a poor squad with low moral and the team is considerably weaker than the one he had available in August. There is a lot wrong that needs correcting and it will take time to address these problems. Whether Russell Martin can achieve this, I am still of an open opinion. I think we will lose again tonight but probably 2-1. In August I felt that Martin needs to be given time from the ROtherham game onwards to sort things out. I had no big expectations for the matches up until this point and feel that Martin needs time with a newly assembled squad. My criticism would be relying on younger and inexperienced players again which was why we went down last season. Therefore, I feel that the blame rests with Sports Republic more than Russell Martin. I feel we should give him a chance but it will be better to judge his ability after Rotherham. I am resigned to mid-table this season.
A bonus for those who are not going tonight is that it is on Sky Sports - on the red button. It is also available on NowTV if you have the full monthly (not day or week) sports sub (that is what I have). For those on NowTV (I may be in a minority of 1 lol), apparently you scroll on the top band to 'Sports', then once on that page scroll all the way down to bonus content and about 5-10 mins before kick off the game will be there along with all the other Championship games. I have Saints Player, but it is always good to have a backup and plan B (hey, I'm an IT guy!). Maybe Russel Martin should get a NowTV subscription....
